Megaphone and the like



Nay, 25,

1,516,754 a. SCHLUESSELBURG IBGAPHONE AND THE LIKE Filed April 9, 1923 2 mum-n 1 Nov. 25,1924. 1,516,754

- G. SCHLUESSELBURG MEGAN-[ONE AND THE LIKE Filed April 9. 1923 2 Dill-811.01. 2

I 66 0' 29 56/1/11 ae/llly -61 l/flg Patented Nov. 25, 1924.

UNITED STATES errant OFFICE.

GEORGE SCHLUESSELBURG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB 01* ONE-HALF TO P. '1.

HARMON, F CIIIGAGU, ELLINOIS.

MEGAPHONE AND THE LIKE.

Application filed April 9, 1923. Eerial No. 630,744.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen SoHLUnssnL- BURG, a citizen of the German Republic, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook 5 and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Megaphones and the like, of which the follow ing is a specification.

This invention has to do with improvements in megaphones and the like. One

feature of the invention relates to the provision of a megaphone construction such that it is particularly well adapted for magnifying and throwing the sound with a, greatly increased volume, the increase in volume and magnification being much greater in fact than can be secured by the ordinary type of construction.

In connection with the foregoing one feature of the invention relates to the provision of a megaphone which has on its interior surface a series o-foutwardly facing steps or shoulders which face towards the delivery end of the megaphone, the same serving to provide abrupt increments in the size of the instrument as well as preventing backward or retrograde movement of the air and sound so as to greatly improve the sound magnification and delivery. Another feature of the invention relates to the provision of a megaphone made of sheet aluminum or other suitable metal as distinguished from fiber or such composition as has been used in the past. In this connection, I wish to state that I have dis covered that a megaphone made of metal such as aluminum possesses the very peouliar quality of greatly magnifying and increasing the sound delivery, and also possesses the quality of giving a very distinct and desirable resonance to the device; so much so'in fact that a voice or other sound reproduced through such a megaphone sounds entirely different from What it does when reproduced through a megaphone of fiber or other similar material.

The discovery'of this quality has made it possible to use these megaphones for various classes of service to which ordinary megaphones arenot adapted. For example, I have discovered that a megaphone, made of sheet metal, and particularly one made of sheet aluminum, can be used for magnifying the sound of a trumpet or cornet, in which casethe resultant magnified sound not only has its volume increased, but its tone and caliber are softened and sweetened.

A further feature of the invention relates to the provision of a sectional device which can be folded up or collapsed into a relatively small space, so that it can be readily packed and transported. In this connection, a further feature relates'to thep-rovision of series of sections which can be nested into each other, and of decreasing size.

In connection with the foregoing feature, I have also made provision for securing the shouldered construction previously referred to, so that when the mcgaphoneis extended into its working form and the various sections brought into working relationship, the shoulders are established in the desired manner. I

A further object of the invention is to make provision for locking thevarious sections in their extended position, or for retaining them nested together, and in either case to make use of the same elements for accomplishing both results.

Other objects and uses of the invention will appear from detailed description of the same, which consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a megaphone embodying the features of the present invention, the'sections being drawn out into the working position;

Fig. '2 shows a view similar to that of Fig. 1, but at right angles thereto;

Fig. 3 shows a fragmentary longitudinal section through one side of each of three of the consecutive nested sections, the same being drawn into the working position and serving to establish the shoulders aforesaid;

Fig. 4- is a side view of the collapsed device with the sections nested together and held in place; and

Fig. 5 is an end view of the locking ring by which the sections are held in working position.

The megaphone illustrated in the drawings includes a series of sections each designated by the numeral 6. In the particular cal formation having a series of abrupt outwardly facing shoulders on its inner surface, substantially as described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a megaphone or the like con'iprising a series of units of progressively increasing size, each unit having a body portion of tapering size and having an end flange of reduced size at its smaller end together with a relatively sharp shoulder at the line of joinder thereof with the body portion, and having an end flange of enlarged size at its larger end, and the smaller end flange of each unit being adapted to seat snugly against the outer surface of the body portion of the next smaller unit, and the larger end flange of each unit being adapted to seat snugly against the inner surface of the body portion of the next larger unit when the units are in Working position, and means for retaining the units n working position with respect to each other to establish a substantially continuous member of generally conical formation having a series of abrupt outwardly facing shoulders on its inner surface, substantially as described.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a megaphone or the like comprising a series of units adapted to co-operate with each other, and means for retaining the units in Working position with respect to each other to establish a substantially continuous member of generally conical formation comprising a pair of foldable arms at the opposite sides of the device, a pivotal connection between each of said arms and one end unit of the series, a socket on the other end unit of the series to receive the end of each arm, and means for retaining the arms against folding, substantially as described.

GEORGE SGHLUESSELBURG. 

